A village is to pay tribute to its former vicar who gave Communion to a British nurse shot by the Germans for helping more than 200 Allied soldiers escape from occupied Belgium during the First World War.

Thrussington Parish Projects are to commemorate the life of the Reverend Horace Stirling Townsend Gahan, who spent time with Edith Cavell the night before she was executed in 1915.

The Rev Gahan is the longest serving vicar at the Holy Trinity Church in Thrussington and his grave in the churchyard has fallen into disrepair.

Patrick Rendall, chairman of Thrussington Parish Projects, said: "It is awful that the grave of the Rev Gahan has been allowed to get into such a state but at least we are rectifying the matter now.

"He played such a part in history that it is only right that we not only clean up his grave but also take measures to tell the tale of his life and his part in the First World War."

Mr Rendall said that the Rev Gahan, who was born near Cork in 1870, was part of the Colonial and Continental Church Society who were posted overseas.

He said: "He was posted to the Christ Church in Brussels and was there when Edith Cavell was arrested and imprisoned by the Germans in 1915.

"She was court-martialled and sentenced to be shot by firing squad on October 12.

"The German chaplain at the jail thought she would not want to receive Communion from a man in German uniform so he sent for the Rev Gahan.

"The Rev Gahan spent time with Ms Cavell and gave her Communion and no doubt some comfort in her last hours."

He said the Rev Gahan wrote a report about his meeting with Ms Cavell and her account of how she was treated by the Germans.

The report was well-received by all Allied governments and was used as a propaganda tool against the Germans.

Mr Rendall said: "We only have one decent photograph of the Rev Gahan despite him being vicar in the village for 36 years.

"We would welcome anyone in the village or anywhere else for that matter who has any photographs of the Rev Gahan."

Mr Rendall said the group had received £3,100 from the Heritage Lottery Group for the project to commemorate the Rev Gahan.

He was vicar at the Thrussington village church from 1923 until he died in 1959.

Mr Rendall said the money would be used to restore the grave and run a project in the local school to educate the children about the Rev Gahan.

He said the money would also fund a commemoration service at the village church on October 12 next year to mark the 100th anniversary of the day Edith Cavell was shot.

The group also raised £1,100 from a James Bond themed big band fish and chip supper night and was given £250 by the Leicester Diocese.

Anyone with any photographs of the Rev Gahan should contact Mr Rendall at patrickandfrances@btinternet.com

Edith Louisa Cavell was a British nurse celebrated for saving the lives of soldiers from both sides without discrimination during the First World War.

She is also commemorated for helping more than 200 Allied soldiers escape from German-occupied Belgium during the conflict.

Ms Cavell was arrested and court-martialled by the Germans and found guilty of treason.

She was sentenced to death and despite international pressure for mercy, was shot by a German firing squad.

Her execution on October 12 1915 received worldwide condemnation and extensive press coverage.

She is well known for her statement that "patriotism is not enough".

Her strong Anglican beliefs propelled her to help all those who needed it, both German and Allied soldiers.

She was quoted as saying: "I can't stop while there are lives to be saved."

October 12 is appointed for her commemoration in the Anglican church, although this is not a "saint's feast day" in the traditional sense.

Ms Cavell, who was 49 at the time of her execution, was already notable as a pioneer of modern nursing in Belgium.

An elderly woman died from heart failure in her flat as paramedics tried to get someone to open security gates to let them in to treat her.

It took them nearly half an hour to raise someone and when they finally reached Margaret Casey she was beyond medical help.

A coroner has ruled that the delay in treatment may not have altered the final outcome but "did diminish the chances of survival."

Following the incident, Leicester City Council has now installed security keys for the emergency services to use to unlock the gates in future.

A two-day inquest in Leicester was told that Mrs Casey, died early on April 2 after calling an emergency helpline complaining she was unwell.

The hearing was told by a paramedic they arrived at the Charnwood estate, Fieldfare Walk, Spinney Hill, Leicester, within four minutes of being contacted.

But although Mrs Casey had opened her front door they could not get to her because they were barred by a security gate across a walkway installed to combat anti-social behaviour.

They shouted to rouse residents and eventually someone unlocked the security gate. But the paramedics could not manage to revive Mrs Casey.

Giving a narrative verdict on Friday, coroner Lydia Brown said: "

When she (Mrs Casey) was taken unwell, she was able to telephone her lifeline for assistance.

"She remained on the line for some minutes, and was able to open her front door to allow access.

"There was a delay of up to 27 minutes after the first responders arrived due to locked gates on the housing complex that could only be opened from within."

Mrs Brown added: "Mrs Casey did not respond to resuscitation attempts when access was achieved. On a balance of probabilities the delay did not alter the outcome, but did diminish the chances of survival."

A post mortem examination showed that Mrs Casey died from heart failure and heart disease.

After the inquest a Leicester City Council spokesman said: "We are sorry for Mrs Casey's death, and our sympathies go out to her family at this difficult time."

He added: " Since this tragic incident we have introduced additional measures to assist the emergency services with entry.

"We have placed a code-operated safe containing a key at all of our properties where a secondary gate has been fitted.

"The safe is clearly marked with instructions for the emergency services."

During the hearing Mrs Brown commented that no risk assessment had been carried out when the gates were first installed.

The council spokesman added: "We will of course be carefully considering the coroner's recommendations, working with our partners where appropriate."

Mark Dixon, acting locality quality manager for EMAS said: "Four minutes after receiving Mrs Casey's call for help an ambulance, manned by skilled clinicians, arrived at the property but the crew were unable to gain immediate access due to a security gate.

"Every reasonable attempt was made by our crew to gain access to the property before a neighbour opened the gate.

"Our sympathies go out to Mrs Casey's family at this difficult time."

A spokeswoman for EMAS said they now had "things in place for when we can't get access to a property. We have a direct line to police who can help us gain access."

Leicester Lions made it two wins on the bounce as they shocked second-placed Ampthill & District 30-19 in a pulsating clash in English National League Two North.

Ampthill took an early lead, going over for the try in just the fourth minute of the game, breaking through the Lions defence to go under the posts, with the conversion added.

Lions hit back within a quarter of an hour, when a rolling maul allowed the excellent Oliver Taylor to sneak the ball over the line. Daniel Burke slotted home the conversion.

Despite Ampthill adding a further try before the break, fine defence from Lions allowed them to take advantage, adding two penalties from Burke as the Lions went into half-time 13-12 in front.

The Lions came out after half-time with renewed confidence and increased their lead when Luke Veebel burst through to score a try, with Burke again adding the conversion.

Another try in front of the posts on the hour from Josh Poullett, with another Burke conversion, put the Lions further ahead, giving their underwhelming opponents a mountain to climb.

Ampthill added another try to give them a hint of a comeback but Lions were not to be denied as a final Burke penalty made sure they deservedly took the honours.

Loughborough Students were comfortably beaten 48-22 by Coventry, despite going into the break level with the scores at 17-17.

After going behind 17-0, Loughborough battled back, Will Edwards, Jack Pons and a converted Sam Pointon try bringing the Students level at half-time.

After the break it was all Coventry as they piled on the pressure, despite an Ed Taylor try, as the students succumbed to defeat and, with injuries piling up, Loughborough will hope for a clean bill of health in the new year.

Director of Rugby Dave Morris said: "The players and support staff get a well-earned rest now over Christmas, having worked six days a week since the start of the season, but there is a genuine excitement about getting going again after."

South Leicester continued their march to promotion with a comfortable 50-11 win against Burton in National League Three Midlands.

Tries from Ord, Jones, Maltman, Robinson, Smith, Cave, Kerr and Howe as well as five conversions from the ever-reliable Aley were enough to see them sit comfortably at the top of the table over the Christmas period.

Hinckley beat Sandbach 21-15 with tries from Fearn and two penalty tries. Weston added three conversions as Hinckley kept up their promotion push in National League Three Midlands.

Syston beat Mansfield 50-5 in Midlands One East thanks to tries from Ruddy (2), Hardy (2), Ferguson, Davey, Skerritt and Nunney, who also added four conversions. Coles also added a fifth conversion to keep Syston on top of the table over Christmas.

Belgrave's miserable run continued as they were thrashed away at Bedford Athletic 70-0.

A mum who gave birth to her son 10 weeks early has been shortlisted for a national award after raising nearly £40,000 for a baby charity.

Donna Edwards, of Coalville, set out to raise money for Tommy's - a charity which funds research into miscarriage, premature birth and stillbirths - after she gave birth to her son, Ollie, in 2007.

The support she received from the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Leicester Royal Infirmary "made such a lasting impression", she has since decided to raise awareness of Tommy's, as well as money.

The 31-year-old has since been shortlisted for a national Tommy Award - the Arla Inspirational Mum Award - after being nominated by her own mother, Jan Hudson.

Donna said: "It's lovely to be recognised by my mum and it reminds me how fortunate I feel to be a mum.

"Ollie shouldn't have lasted 24 hours and I think about that every day."

Ollie weighed 3lb10oz when he was born. He was so tiny, his hands were the same size as an adult's thumb and he had breathing difficulties.

On many occasions, Donna and her husband, Dave would have to watch Ollie turn blue when he forgot to breath.

Donna, a mother-of-two added: "He's now seven years old and running about playing football.

"What happened to me is that part of the book that you don't read.

"That's when Tommy's became a backbone for us and their advice and support was priceless.

"Dave and I both feel like if all that we do stops just one person having a premature baby then it's job done."

Among other things, Donna has raised awareness of Tommy's by hosting midnight walks and running the London Marathon. She also conquered Mount Kilimanjaro in 2013 as well.

Alongside raising awareness of prematurity, sits another passion of Donna's and that's teaching and helping to unearth a child's full potential.

In January 2015 she will open Mini Explorers, a pre-school nursery run in partnership with The National Forest. The nursery will cater to children with special needs, either as a result of prematurity or because of other circumstances.

Speaking about her daughter, Jan said: "I think Donna knows that she was one of the lucky ones.

"It's not only about raising money for Donna, she also tries to spread awareness and reach a wider audience which starts to open the floodgate and other people open up about their personal experiences of pregnancy complications.

"Donna is incredibly passionate about children and the nursery will have the ethos that 'any child can'.

"I've nominated her to say how proud we are of her and, unknown to her, how many babies' lives she is changing outside the normal stream of things."

The Tommy's Awards were set up 20 years ago to recognise individuals that have supported parents through pregnancy complications, or the loss of a baby.

The winners will be announced at the Tommy's Awards in a star-studded ceremony at the Landmark Hotel, London, on Friday 20 March.

Leicester Riders can head into Christmas in second place in the BBL Championship if they knock off the current incumbents, Worcester Wolves, at Loughborough University tomorrow night (7.45).

Riders are currently in fourth behind Cheshire, Worcester and leaders Newcastle, but have games in hand on all three. Leicester coach Rob Paternostro, however, doesn't pay too much heed to the league table.

"It's just about getting better and winning the next game," said Paternostro. "The table will take care of itself as time goes on, right now we're just trying to improve.

"It was helpful having that time off last week and you saw in Surrey the benefit that gave us, now it is about continuing that against Worcester tonight."

Riders had an emphatic 86-65 victory at Guildford on Friday thanks to some impressive defensive work, but will face more of a challenge tomorrow against a quality Worcester side.

"Worcester have a talented team with players who can score both inside and outside," Paternostro said. "When you watch them play, they get it done in different ways, which makes them hard to contain defensively.

"They have had a really good start to the season. Paul James knows how to win in this league, you see that year in and year out and that's why he has more wins than any other coach. Certainly they have a very good team this year."

The Wolves slipped to a 75-70 defeat at home to London on Friday night without star forward Robert Thurman, but Leicester-born James is hoping he might be able to return tonight.

"Robert is 50-50 to return for the Leicester game," said the Wolves' boss. "But we don't want to worsen matters by rushing him back. We'll assess the situation as we get nearer to game time."

TrayVonn Wright posted 15 points in his second game for the Riders as he settles into the line-up.

Paternostro added: "I thought TrayVonn did a good job, but as a whole I thought we played well. Pavol Losonsky did some good work for us and overall I thought our commitment at the defensive end was really impressive."

A man who threatened a shopkeeper after he would not sell him alcohol just after 6am has been sent to jail for six months.

Ryan Spring was sent to prison today after he admitted the offence and six other charges at Leicester Magistrates' Court.

Prosecutor Cheryl Goes told the court how Spring (27), of Kimberley Road, Evington, went into Whetstone News in High Street, Whetstone, at 6.08am on December 9 last year.

She said: "He told the shopkeeper: 'If will kill you if you don't sell me alcohol."

Ms Goes said the shopkeeper began to struggle with Spring and was helped when a customer joined in.

She said the pair held Spring down until police arrived after the shopkeeper had pushed the panic button.

When he was in the police car on the way to the station, Spring told police he didn't know why they were arresting him and made a racist comment about the shopkeeper. 

Spring admitted threatening behaviour and racially aggravated harassment.

Ms Goes told the court how Spring had threatened a member of staff at the Sainsbury's local store in Queens Road, Clarendon Park, Leicester, on October 20.

She said: "Spring walked into the shop at about 9.10pm took a bottle and left without paying.

"He returned a few minutes later and said: "What have I done wrong? It's a bottle of Pernod and I'll wrap it round your head."

He then racially abused another member of staff in the shop.

Spring pleaded guilty to racially aggravated threatening behaviour, threatening behaviour and the theft of a bottle of Pernod.

Ms Goes told how Spring pushed a lorry driver over in the street at about 8.55am on November 12.

She said a lorry driver clipped a bus with his wing mirror as he overtook it in Aylestone Road, Saffron Lane, Leicester.

The lorry and the bus stopped and the lorry driver walked to inspect the damage.

Spring, who was on the top deck of the bus, got off and pushed the lorry driver over because he was making him late.

He admitted common assault.

Spring also admitted being drunk and disorderly in Town Hall Square on October 19.

Ms Goes said that Spring had 43 previous convictions which covered 87 offences.

Heather Glover, defending, said her client was an alcoholic and drug user.

She said: "There is a common theme here and that is alcohol.

"He was drinking up to two bottles of whisky a day. He was either intoxicated or high on illegal drugs when he committed most of these offences and does not remember much about them."

Chairman of the bench Chris Thomas made Spring the subject of a restraining order banning him from Whetstone News.

He also banned Spring from contacting the shopkeeper for a year.

He fined Spring £50 for the racial harassment and ordered him to pay £50 compensation to the lorry driver.

Police negotiators were called in after a six-hour standoff at a home in Sileby.

Officers arrived at the address in Cemetery Road at 5.15pm on Friday afternoon and residents reported seeing armed officers.

The incident ended at about 11.45pm on Friday.

Police said in a statement: "Officers from Leicestershire Police were called following a concern for welfare of a man inside a house in Cemetery Road, Sileby.

"Police officers were called to the scene along with a trained negotiator. No-one else was inside the property.

"A 50 year old man was arrested at the scene at around 11.45pm and has since been bailed pending further enquiries."

Frustrated centre Ant Allen insists it's time for Leicester Tigers to "start playing some decent rugby" when they travel to face Sale on Saturday.

Speaking in the wake of his side's derby defeat to Northampton Saints, the 28-year-old admitted aspects of Tigers' game were "embarrassing" and they made things far too easy for Saints to score three second-half tries when playing with 14 men.

Leicester now face a very tricky trip to the AJ Bell Stadium to play a Sale side which are two place above them in the Aviva Premiership table and fresh from a comfortable win over high-flying Exeter.

"We have to learn from the Saints defeat and address it," said Allen. "Then we have to put in a massive shift at Sale and start playing some decent rugby.

"We were not good defensively. We cannot score tries and then let them back into it on two occasions, like we did.

"Sale will have seen that and will be looking forward to us.

"We knew what was going on at Franklin's Gardens, we were just not reacting to it. It's not good enough from our point of view.

"There was a lack of communication. Boys were not doing the right thing or their jobs – and we were getting too tight in defence. We didn't need to be so tight.

"They were doing nothing special, they were just doing one pass and it was beating us on the outside.

"There was no threat from scrum-half and we didn't need to be so tight. They were just going around us and we were making it too easy for them.

"In the final in 2013, they came into the game when they were a man down and they did again.

"We struggled with the tempo which was embarrassing really. We had an extra man and they were getting around us too easily.

"And we never got anything at the breakdown."

Allen said Tigers managed to keep a lid on their frustrations after the game and Geoff Parling and Ben Youngs spoke well to the group.

"There was no shouting but we have to learn from it," said Allen.

"We are preparing well, the training is not too long and we are getting ready well.

"We are struggling at the minute but we can get into the semi-finals and then it will be all to play for."

Well over 9,000 toys have been donated to Toys on the Table, making this the most successful year ever.

Each Christmas the campaign, organised by a team of volunteers, collects new toys that can be donated to needy youngsters who are nominated by social workers, churches, charities and other groups.

The aim is to ensure all the city's families get to share in the magic of Christmas.

Terry Watts, who leads the campaign, said yesterday: "We're just picking up the last presents and finishing the wrapping and we're around the 9,000 mark at the moment with more toys still to collect.

"It's going to be the most successful year ever in terms of the number of toys we're giving out.

"We always aim to give at least two gifts to each child and we've had about 4,000 children to give to this year so we've done very well."

This year Leicestershire Cares joined forces with Toys on the Table to help set up collections among employers around the county, which helped bring in about 2,500 extra toys.

The campaign also collects cash donations, which is useful for ensuring the thousands of gifts match the ages of the children in need.

Terry, of Countesthorpe, who runs the charity with his wife Margaret, said: "We've received several thousands pounds in donations including one £3,000 cheque from a business and £1,000 from a person who sends us the same amount every year, which is wonderful.

"Usually the money is for buying extra presents suitable for the tots and the teens, although my appeals in previous years have obviously worked because this year we've been short of presents for the eight to 11 year olds."

In the run up to Christmas, Terry and the team have received plenty of help with the wrapping at their headquarters in Matrix House, St George's Way, Leicester.

Terry said: "We've had lots of volunteers this year to help with the wrapping including the local MP, Jon Ashworth, the chairman of Leicestershire County Council, Bill Boulter, and the city mayor Sir Peter Soulsby.

"It's always very encouraging when people do come in to help.

"After 10 years Toys on the Table is still as strong as ever, although I think the need is also as strong as ever, too.

"But it's been a great year and, while we don't know yet exactly how many children are going to be receiving gifts from us on Christmas Day, we can say for sure that it's certainly a record year in terms of the number of toys."

Council officers are considering prosecuting ten taxi drivers caught flimping in Leicester.

Flimping is the term given to the illegal practice of private hire drivers picking up fares on the street that have not been pre-booked.

Only licenced hackney cab drivers are allowed to pick passengers up from the side of the road.

Leicester City Council carries out under cover test purchase operations to catch flimpers.

A report by licensing official said: "Two recent enforcement operations have detected contraventions by ten drivers.

"Files are now being processed with a view to prosecutions."

Flimpers could potentially lose their licences.

The report says: "Understandably hackney carriage drivers become very concerned if they believe a private hire vehicle is plying for hire as in effect the vehicle could take their business.

"Particularly in situations where private hire offices are located close to hackney carriage ranks considerable antagonism between private hire and hackney carriage drivers can arise as both are anxious to maximise their trades."

The council carries out at least four flimping enforcement exercises each year.

Tributes have been paid to a well-loved beat bobby who set up a police motorcycle display team.

PC Maurice Tidmarsh, founder of the Kamikazi Motorcycle Team, was on the Leicestershire force for 25 years, ending his service as a local officer in Eyres Monsell.

"Tiddy" was well known on the estate for spending days building a giant bonfire in the days running up to Bonfire Night.

The great-grandfather passed away from lung cancer on December 17, aged 76.

His daughter Kate, 48, who lives in Eyres Monsell, said: "He was a very well respected man and lots of people knew him, especially because of the bonfire.

"He would save up all his annual leave and then spend weeks building the fire and camping out to make sure no one set it alight before Bonfire Night.

"The thing he was probably most know for saying was "get off the bonfire'!

"I think there was one year when someone managed to get to it and set it alight early.

"He also used to dress up as a clown and go around collecting money for the fireworks display."

Tracey, 56, of Syston, who is Maurice's eldest, said: "We would just lose him for weeks on end and he would set up a 24-hour guard at the bonfire.

"He also dressed as Santa at Christmas.

"All his life he put his heart and soul into everything he did.

"He set up the Kamikazis to keep teenage boys on the straight and narrow.

"In the summer they would do displays all over the country and our whole family would be loaded into a bus and travel all over - I remember sleeping on heaps of hay in fields.

"It's wonderful looking back on it."

Maurice, who leaves his widow, Dorothy, and eight children, retired from the police force to start up a motorcycle courier business and travel.

Kate said: "After he had retired he bought a camper van and he was renowned for being out the front of his house cleaning it all the time.

"When he lost his sight last summer he donated the camper to a family with two children with special needs.

"He did a lot of work for charity all his life and was also involved in the local youth clubs."

Maurice's health deteriorated over the past year of his life but he decided against treatment.

Kate said: "He hadn't been to the doctors in 30 years but he went to get a chest x-ray and he found out he was getting ill.

"But he didn't want tests or anything.

"He had developed lung cancer and it all happened very quickly.

"I'll miss him. I loved him very much."

The funeral will be held Saffron Hill Cemetery in Stonesby Avenue at 12.30pm on Friday, January 16.

Cases dealt with at Leicester Magistrates' Court include:

Davina Kaur Hayre (28), of Barnards Way, Kibworth Harcourt, pleaded guilty to driving in Counting House Road, Leicester, on August 30 with 82mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood. The maximum is 80mg. She was fined £110 with £40 costs, a £20 victim surcharge and disqualified from holding or obtaining a driving licence for 12 months.

Graham Robert Wilson (23), of East Park Road, Spinney Hills, pleaded guilty to attempting to burgle an Eaga-Bites burger van in the B&Q car park, Devonshire Road, Leicester, on October 23.

He was committed to prison for four weeks, suspended for 12 months, and ordered to pay £180 compensation and an £80 victim surcharge.

Amit Patel (36), of Bodmin Avenue, Wigston, pleaded guilty to intentionally damaging a window worth £300 belonging to Oadby and Wigston Borough Council in King Street, Oadby, on October 31. He was fined £70 with £300 compensation, £35 costs and a £20 victim surcharge.

Stephen Alistair Mutch (48), of The Precinct, Cotesbach, Lutterworth, pleaded guilty to dishonestly failing to take steps to prevent £184.62 from being wrongfully credited to his bank account on July 25, 2011. He was fined £135 with a £20 victim surcharge.

Mutch also admitted three similar offences committed on August 28, October 31 and December 19, 2011, each involving the same amount of money and was fined £135 for each.

Scott Wilkinson (27), and Rhiannon Scotchbrook (23) of Omaha Drive, Hinckley, pleaded guilty to the theft of a mail bag and tickets worth £535.25 on October 2, 2013.

They were each discharged conditionally for six months and ordered to pay £267.63 compensation, £42.50 costs and a £15 victim surcharge.

Amii Leanne Evans (31), of Leicester Road, Anstey, pleaded guilty to using a vehicle on Stadon Road, Anstey, without third-party insurance on March 8. She was fined £460 with £150 costs, a £46 victim surcharge and disqualified from holding or obtaining a driving licence for 14 days.

Cases dealt with at Leicester Magistrates' Court include:

Katie Nicola Kirkland (21), of Strathmore Road, Hinckley, pleaded guilty to stealing DVDs worth £100 from WHSmith, Castle Street, Hinckley, on November 22 and five bottles of Jack Daniels whisky, worth £95, from Sainsbury's, Clifton Way, Hinckley, on November 25.

She was committed to prison for 12 weeks, suspended for 24 months, and ordered to pay £80 compensation.

Makhan Singh-Chohan (44), of Vulcan Road, off Humberstone Road, Leicester, pleaded guilty to driving in Kent Street, Highfields, with 97 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath – the maximum is 35mcg – and driving while disqualified and without insurance on November 26.

He was jailed for 16 weeks, with an £80 victim surcharge, and disqualified from holding or obtaining a driving licence for three years.

Kyle Elsworthy (28), of Sheridan Street, Saffron Lane, Leicester, pleaded guilty to using a vehicle without third-party insurance in Elmwood Row, Leicester, on November 10.

He was fined £110, with £85 costs and a £20 victim surcharge, and six penalty points were put on his driving licence.

Jasbir Sanghera (24), of Earlswood Road, Evington, Leicester, was proven guilty in absence of using a vehicle without third-party insurance in Checkland Road, Thurmaston, on May 10.

He was fined £175, with £85 costs and a £20 victim surcharge, and was disqualified from driving for six months.

Muhammed Usman (26), of Pavilion Close, Aylestone, Leicester, was proven guilty in absence of failing to comply with a red traffic light in Welford Road, Leicester, on July 8.

He was fined £200, with £85 costs and a £20 victim surcharge, and three penalty points were put on his driving licence.

Faheem Lorgat (19), of Ashover Road, off East Park Road, Leicester, pleaded guilty to theft from his employer on August 2 by giving away items worth £74.45 to customers while working on tills at TK Maxx, Leicester.

He was fined £75, with £40 costs and a £20 victim surcharge.

Joseph William Martin (25), of Holderness Road, Mowmacre Hill, pleaded guilty to attempting to steal items worth £380 from TK Maxx, Barkby Thorpe Lane, Leicester, on June 16, while subject to a community order.

He was committed to prison for a week.

With Christmas Day just one sleep away, reporter Yasmin Duffin spoke to a few famous from Leicester and Leicestershire to find out what they will be getting up to this festive season:

Last year's winner of the X Factor, Sam Bailey:

What's the worst Christmas present you've ever received? A pair of 'Nicks' trainers. I'd asked for Nike ones but my nan brought me some plastic, clown-feet looking ones, I was mortified. She insisted I wore them in front of my cousins, who all ripped me for it.

What are you doing for Christmas this year? I'm going out to the pub with friends.

Have you got any tips for people cooking their Christmas dinners? Serve jam tarts, you can't go wrong - even Christmas Day can be 'Jam Tart Wednesday'.

What's top of your Christmas list this year? I really want a bike.

Have you got any New Year's resolutions? To get into my pre-pregnancy clothes.

Finalist in The Voice, Sally Barker:

What's the worst Christmas present you've ever received? Soap on a rope - I flushed it down the loo immediately.

What are you doing for Christmas this year? As my kids would say, I'm 'hanging with the fam'. I'm not cooking this year, one of my sisters is, although I'm down to bring the crackers (not the ones you pull, the ones that go with cheese) and several bottles of wine.

Have you got any tips for people cooking their Christmas dinners? Don't have a drink while preparing your Christmas dinner - I've been there and it will always arrive several hours late.

What's top of your Christmas list this year? A new car.

Have you got any New Year's resolutions? To buy a better car.

Winner of The Great British Sewing Bee, Heather Jacks:

What's the worst Christmas present you've ever received? I've never received a bad present, I suppose if anyone wants to give me something it's a plus.

What are you doing for Christmas this year? Staying at home with my husband and dog - I plan on shutting all of the doors and relaxing.

Have you got any tips for people cooking their Christmas dinners? Remember you don't have to stick to turkey, you can cook something a bit alternative. We do every year, this time we're having individual beef wellingtons.

What's top of your Christmas list this year? All I want for Christmas is my husband, Andrew.

Have you got any New Year's resolutions? I must try harder every day and put in more effort.

Winner of The Great British Bake Off, Frances Quinn:

What's the worst Christmas present you've ever received? An apron, people think because I bake I need things like aprons. This one had all these frills on, it wasn't me at all.

What are you doing for Christmas this year? I'm spending it at my mum and dad's house with four of my five siblings - the other one will be Canada, so we'll be Skyping her.

Have you got any tips for people cooking their Christmas dinners? Try something different and be adventurous, like with Christmas puddings, add a Caribbean twist by using rum not brandy.

What's top of your Christmas list this year? For me, it's not about the presents, top of my list is to sit down, stop and relax.

Have you got any New Year's resolutions? I never arrive anywhere on time, so next year I need to start mastering my time.

Leicester City ambassador, Alan 'the birch' Birchenall:

What's the worst Christmas present you've ever received? I've had some dodgy ones in the past. Every year, for some reason I'm always given a pair of black socks. I don't really wear socks, so now I have a 6ft pile of socks in my wardrobe, which is growing year by year. I might start selling them on the market.

What are you doing for Christmas this year? I'm still searching for the best offer, I don't know what I'm doing yet.

Have you got any tips for people cooking their Christmas dinners? Never call Birch for help. One year I forgot to put the oven on, the food was six hours late.

What's top of your Christmas list this year? For Leicester City to still be in the Prem' next season.

Have you got any New Year's resolutions? To not fall off the perch, to last another year and enjoy life at Leicester City Football Club.

Boxer, Rendall Munroe:

What's the worst Christmas present you've ever received? My mum brought me a mini-grandfather clock for the shelf and I remember thinking, what am I going to do with this. I make sure I put it up when she comes over.

What are you doing for Christmas this year? I'm going to my mother-in-laws, like I do every year. She takes Christmas to a whole new level, with the lights and decoration - anyone would think Santa lives there.

Have you got any tips for people cooking their Christmas dinners? Go round to your mother-in-law's, saves you doing it yourself.

What's top of your Christmas list this year? I've got good health, that's all I can ask for.

Have you got any New Year's resolutions? To be myself and enjoy life.

Former cricket wicket-keeper for England and Leicestershire CCC, Paul Nixon:

What's the worst Christmas present you've ever received? A dressing gown, which looked like something you where if you're in hospital. I think I used it to clean my car.

What are you doing for Christmas this year? I'm heading to Cumbria to see my family. I plan on putting my feet up and relaxing.

Have you got any tips for people cooking their Christmas dinners? I've never cooked Christmas dinner, I always get someone else to do it for me.

What's top of your Christmas list this year? Some more Green Irish Tweed After-Shave, I've been dropping hints all over the place.

Have you got any New Year's resolutions? Go to bed earlier and get up earlier - I'm terrible when it comes to sleep.

Leicester Tigers and Argentinian winger, Gonzalo Camacho:

What's the worst Christmas present you've ever received? Oh wow, that's tough. I can't think of a worst Christmas present. The best Christmas present is to spend Christmas with my family, and being together with all the people that you like or you love. Spending time together during that special moment once a year, that's the best of Christmas for me.

What are you doing for Christmas this year? This year we are having Christmas at my home with - my Tigers and Argentina teammate - Marcos Ayerza, his wife and his daughter, who is one-and-a-half, plus my sister and her husband and my two nieces are coming. Our big party in Argentina is Christmas Eve, so we normally celebrate that as big as we can, we share our gifts over there the same night so that's what we're doing so it's going to be good and big like always.

Have you got any tips for people cooking their Christmas dinners? Just take care - it would be very dangerous if you get burned and you won't have anything to eat.

What's top of your Christmas list this year? One of the things I want most is to just to get free of all injuries and the other thing is to be happy with the people you love and be happy with life.

Have you got any New Year's resolutions? This year has not been very good for me because of my injury, but I see the support of the club towards me, towards myself and how they want to keep me. When you work hard things come out as you wish, so I'll keep working like that and hopefully I will have my first game for Tigers sooner rather than later.

Leicester Tigers and England fly-half, Freddie Burns:

What's the worst Christmas present you've ever received? I don't actually know, I've always done pretty well out of Christmas. The best was when I was about 12 and I got one of those remote control hovercrafts, but the worst thing was we went to this pond that was frozen over and the battery ran out in the middle, My dad had to break the ice, wade in and get it.

What are you doing for Christmas this year? I'm shooting home and spending it with the family back in Bath. All the brothers bar one, Sam who is out in Afghan, are back, so it will be Christmas dinner with everyone but him, and then back into training on Boxing Day.

Have you got any tips for people cooking their Christmas dinners? Don't over-do the turkey. It's got to be nice and moist.

What's top of your Christmas list this year? I don't really have one but I'd quite like a segway. I'd probably use it once and then feel like a bit of a muppet but there's something about it I just think would be cool.

Have you got any New Year's resolutions? No, not really. I don't really do resolutions. I just never see the point. I'd say don't eat chocolate but then I'll eat chocolate a week later.

A cheeky biscuit here and an extra roastie there might not seem much of an over-indulgence, but when it comes to treats, all those calories add up.

The average Briton will reportedly eat nearly 6,000 calories on Christmas Day - the equivalent of 21 Mars bars, 12 Big Macs or 38 slices of Pizza Hut's 'Supreme' pizza.

Joe Hanney, of Leicester-based U Fit Studio, who is fitness trainer to Miss Leicester and judge in the Miss GB Bikini Body, has come up with some healthier alternatives to foods traditionally eaten on Christmas Day that are very high in fat and calories. 

Joe said: "There is no reason we cannot indulge now and then, one meal or one day of eating foods that aren't the best for you in terms of nutrition will not make you unhealthy in the same way that one day of eating foods high in nutritional value will not make you healthy. However there are some great alternatives to foods traditionally high in saturated fats and unnecessary sugars."

If you want to save some calories on Thursday while still tucking in, here is what Joe recommends:

Traditional Favourite:

Potatoes roasted in goose fat

Healthier alternative:

Sweet potato with a glazing of coconut oil

Benefit:

The health benefits of coconut oil include hair care, skin care, stress relief, cholesterol level maintenance, weight loss, boosted immune system, proper digestion and regulated metabolism. It also provides relief from kidney problems, heart diseases, high blood pressure, diabetes, HIV, and cancer, while helping to improve dental quality and bone strength.

Traditional Favourite:

Gravy made with animal juices

Healthier alternative:

Use chicken or vegetable stock instead of animal fats and add spices such as rosemary, cinnamon and sage for taste and millet flour to thicken.

Benefit:

Avoid high cholesterol and calories from animal fat

Traditional Favourite:

Christmas pudding with custard

Healthier alternative:

Use dates instead of sugar for sweetness and almond. I use this recipe by The Healthy Chef which is absolutely fantastic, and gluten free.

Ingredients:

225g fresh pitted dates – approx 10 – 15 dates depending on their size zest from 1 orange 250g organic dried apricots, chopped

150 g (1 ½ cups) almond meal / ground almonds

1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract

1 tsp ground cinnamon

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

¼ tsp ground ginger

80 g white chocolate 90% cocoa or more), melted for decoration – optional (please see other great topping ideas below)

Method:

Combine dates, orange zest, apricots, vanilla, ground almonds, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger in a food processor.

Process until mixture is combined and looks like fine crumbs.

Spoon mixture into a large bowl and add 1 – 2 tablespoons orange juice then mix again. Your pudding mix should come together in the hands when lightly squeezed.

Divide puddings into 6 small puddings. The best way to do this is to line the base of your desired mould with glad wrap and press the pudding mixture into it firmly.

Invert the pudding and remove the glad wrap. Repeat until all the puddings are formed.

Melt white chocolate in a small bowl that is set over a simmering pot of water.

Spoon a little white chocolate over the tops of the puddings if using and garnish. You can use goji berries, fresh cherries or anything you fancy. Alternatively omit the topping if you wish.

Arrange onto a serving plate and set aside until needed.

Benefits:

The ingredients used are natural. I always say that if you have to read a list of ingredients in a food item and you don't recognise them immediately, your body won't have a clue what they are either and will have a hard time breaking them down and making good use of them.

Traditional Favourite:

Panettone

Healthier alternative:

Use coconut flour instead of white flour.

Benefits:

Coconut flour is rich in protein, fiber and good fats. Because of the high fiber content (5 g per tablespoon compared to the 2 g in white

flour) it doesn't spike blood sugar levels. This makes it a great alternative for diabetics and those who eating gluten-free.

Coconut flour is also a great source of lauric acid, a saturated fat which supports the immune system and the thyroid and promotes good skin health.

Bear in mind that you cannot substitute coconut flour for white flours at a ratio of 1:1. As a rule you need to substitute 1/4 of coconut flour for 1 cup white flour. Also, because coconut flour is very absorbent for every one cup of coconut flour you will need to use six eggs and one cup liquid such as milk.

Traditional favourite:

Gingerbread house with icing

Healthier alternative:

Gingerbread made with coconut flour and honey instead of white flour and sugar and replace sweets as decorations with dried fruits.

Benefits:

Honey is unrefined and sweeter than sugar so you will need less honey to get the sweetness you would reach with a lot more sugar. Honey does contain some B vitamins and minerals but not a significant amount.

However while white sugar is 100 per cent sucrose, honey is 75 per cent sugars and 25 per cent water, protein, fat and fibre, making it harder for the body to break down, meaning more calories are used up in the process of its digestion, meaning less of the calories you have consumed will be stored as fat.

With the dried fruit check there are no added sugars or sweeteners.

Joe added: "Nutrition and eating healthily does not mean cutting out foods or depriving yourself of foods, simply making small adjustments to the foods you enjoy. There is no reason why people cannot eat what they enjoy and be healthy and happy with the way they look – the two are not mutually exclusive."

Traditional Favourite:

Potatoes roasted in goose fat

Healthier alternative:

Sweet potato with a glazing of coconut oil

Benefit:

The health benefits of coconut oil include hair care, skin care, stress relief, cholesterol level maintenance, weight loss, boosted immune system, proper digestion and regulated metabolism. It also provides relief from kidney problems, heart diseases, high blood pressure, diabetes, HIV, and cancer, while helping to improve dental quality and bone strength.

Traditional Favourite:

Gravy made with animal juices

Healthier alternative:

Use chicken or vegetable stock instead of animal fats and add spices such as rosemary, cinnamon and sage for taste and millet flour to thicken.

Benefit:

Avoid high cholesterol and calories from animal fat

Traditional Favourite:

Christmas pudding with custard

Healthier alternative:

Use dates instead of sugar for sweetness and almond. I use this recipe by The Healthy Chef which is absolutely fantastic, and gluten free.

Ingredients:

225g fresh pitted dates – approx 10 – 15 dates depending on their size zest from 1 orange 250g organic dried apricots, chopped

150 g (1 ½ cups) almond meal / ground almonds

1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract

1 tsp ground cinnamon

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

¼ tsp ground ginger

80 g white chocolate 90% cocoa or more), melted for decoration – optional (please see other great topping ideas below)

Method:

Combine dates, orange zest, apricots, vanilla, ground almonds, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger in a food processor.

Process until mixture is combined and looks like fine crumbs.

Spoon mixture into a large bowl and add 1 – 2 tablespoons orange juice then mix again. Your pudding mix should come together in the hands when lightly squeezed.

Divide puddings into 6 small puddings. The best way to do this is to line the base of your desired mould with glad wrap and press the pudding mixture into it firmly.

Invert the pudding and remove the glad wrap. Repeat until all the puddings are formed.

Melt white chocolate in a small bowl that is set over a simmering pot of water.

Spoon a little white chocolate over the tops of the puddings if using and garnish. You can use goji berries, fresh cherries or anything you fancy. Alternatively omit the topping if you wish.

Arrange onto a serving plate and set aside until needed.

Benefits:

The ingredients used are natural. I always say that if you have to read a list of ingredients in a food item and you don't recognise them immediately, your body won't have a clue what they are either and will have a hard time breaking them down and making good use of them.

Traditional Favourite:

Panettone

Healthier alternative:

Use coconut flour instead of white flour.

Benefits:

Coconut flour is rich in protein, fiber and good fats. Because of the high fiber content (5 g per tablespoon compared to the 2 g in white

flour) it doesn't spike blood sugar levels. This makes it a great alternative for diabetics and those who eating gluten-free.

Coconut flour is also a great source of lauric acid, a saturated fat which supports the immune system and the thyroid and promotes good skin health.

Bear in mind that you cannot substitute coconut flour for white flours at a ratio of 1:1. As a rule you need to substitute 1/4 of coconut flour for 1 cup white flour. Also, because coconut flour is very absorbent for every one cup of coconut flour you will need to use six eggs and one cup liquid such as milk.

Traditional favourite:

Gingerbread house with icing

Healthier alternative:

Gingerbread made with coconut flour and honey instead of white flour and sugar and replace sweets as decorations with dried fruits.

Benefits:

Honey is unrefined and sweeter than sugar so you will need less honey to get the sweetness you would reach with a lot more sugar. Honey does contain some B vitamins and minerals but not a significant amount.

However while white sugar is 100 per cent sucrose, honey is 75 per cent sugars and 25 per cent water, protein, fat and fibre, making it harder for the body to break down, meaning more calories are used up in the process of its digestion, meaning less of the calories you have consumed will be stored as fat.

With the dried fruit check there are no added sugars or sweeteners.

Joe added: "Nutrition and eating healthily does not mean cutting out foods or depriving yourself of foods, simply making small adjustments to the foods you enjoy. There is no reason why people cannot eat what they enjoy and be healthy and happy with the way they look – the two are not mutually exclusive."

It won't seem lonely this Christmas for Susan Moult.

She'll be at her son's house in Countesthorpe. There'll be food and games and excited grandkids opening presents and to anyone peering in, Susan will look like she's having a grand old time, writes Lee Marlow.

But it's not quite that simple.

Because Susan, 64, has Alzheimer's Disease. And when you have Alzheimer's, nothing is simple anymore. Susan Moult will be surrounded by people who love her at Christmas - but, still, she'll be lonely.

Sue exists in her own world, says husband Ken; a world where she has no real concept of time, real life or the world outside her door. "She was up at 3am the other morning," says husband, Ken, "sitting in her chair, waiting for Coronation Street to start."

Sue can't make a cup of tea. Once a good cook, she doesn't cook anymore. Not now. She can't use the phone. She can't operate the TV remote control. Real life, the stuff she used to take for granted, has slowly become too much for her.

It's been a strange Christmas so far for Ken and Sue, of Farmway, Braunstone Town. The Christmas roles haven't been reversed, as such, they've been taken on by Ken.

Sue used to get all the presents, write all the cards, sort out all the mundane Christmas things that Ken took fro granted every year. Now Ken does it all.

Sue was the one who kept the show on the road. "You know, she was always the one with the good memory, too," says Ken. "She was the one who knew whose birthdays were coming up, what needed doing."

All that now falls to Ken. He's not very good at it. "I wait for the cards to come to us - and then I send one back," he laughs. It's not ideal, but it seems to be working.

That must be a strain, all of this, I wonder? But Ken shakes his head.

"Well, no, not really," he says. "We're married. It's not a strain. I need to look after her, and that's that, really."

Ken, 65, retired three weeks ago. It was time, he says. Time to leave his job as a salesman and time to be with Sue. If he had any secret plans for retirement – holidays, maybe, long walks, days out - he doesn't mention them.

Ken and Sue have been married for 43 years. It's hard to pin-point an exact time when the dementia started to creep in. It happened gradually, says Ken.

"I do remember, though, we used to go out with another couple and we'd sit around a table and chat and chat and laugh all night long – just rubbish talk, really, pub chat, but we enjoyed it.

"And then I noticed one week that Susan wasn't really saying much. She wasn't involved. It seemed to pass her by." That wasn't like her. After that, Ken started to spot other things.

The constant forgetfulness. "I'd come home from work and, although she was retired, she hadn't done anything. She used to be so busy. All these things she used to do - vacuuming, cleaning, washing, ironing - she hadn't done it."

It wasn't that she was siting back and putting her feet up. She couldn't remember how to do these things.

It's a common first sign, says Suna Tilley, Befriending Manager of the Alzheimer's Society in Leicester. It's not so much that new patients are forgetful – although that does happen. "We can all be forgetful," says Suna. "We're all capable of walking into a room and thinking: 'What did I come in here for?'

"But it's forgetting how to do things, forgetting the sequence of events. That's often a tell-tale sign."

Susan didn't think anything was wrong with her. This is common too, apparently. Sufferers don't always recognise the early symptoms.

"I kept saying to her: 'You should see a doctor'," says Ken, " but she wouldn't. She only listened, really, when my son and daughter-in-law said it, too."

It took months for Susan to be officially diagnosed with Alzheimer's. It wasn't a surprise, the diagnosis. "But, two years on, I'd say we're still coming to terms with it. We're still getting used to it."

Around 21 million in England either have a close friend or family member with dementia.

At Christmas, half of those people caring for a person with dementia say the festive season is an especially isolating time for sufferers.

At their home in Braunstone town, life revolves around Susan and her very specific needs. Christmas time will be subtly different for Ken and Susan.

"We used to quite often go to a show, at De Mont or Loughborough Town Hall, but we don't do that now.

"We don't watch any films. The plot doesn't go in. She can't follow it."

It must be frustrating... ?

"It is – but not so much for Susan. I get more frustrated than she does, I think. I've known her for all this time. I know what she was, what she could do..."

Susan sits with us, listening in to the conversation, nodding in most of the right places, following the conversation until it seems to evaporate and her interest dwindles.

"I've got dementia, haven't I?" she says at one point, looking over to Ken. And Ken smiles, nods his head. "That's right, love.," Susan smiles back, and the conversation goes on.

Sometimes, people seem to confuse dementia with depression, says Ken. They're two completely different things.

"Susan isn't unhappy," says Ken – at which point Susan says: "I am not depressed, you know," – "but it is lonely for her, I think. She exists in her own world."

They never thought about this, says Ken; dementia striking one of them at such a relatively young age, too.

"I used to read about it, but you never think these things will happen to you.

"But it's everywhere. There are five people in this street who have been diagnosed with dementia in recent months. But still, we don't talk about it, as a nation.

"We sweep it under the carpet. Even when I read about it in the newspapers, the stories are never about finding a cure - they're about making it easier to live with."

They don't do that with cancer, or heart disease. They cure it, he says. You can be diagnosed with cancer and get better. You can recover. There's no recovering from this. It's just a slow deterioration.

"I'm glad your hear to tell the story," says Ken. "Tell it properly. Tell it how it is. Tell the truth. We have to stop sweeping it under the carpet and talking about it. It's happening - and we're not doing enough to solve it."

* The Alzheimer's Society in Leicester is desperately looking for volunteers and befrienders.

For more information, contact Suna Tilley on 0116 211 11 13 or email Suna.Tilley@alzheimers.org.uk

We know some of you still have presents to buy in time for Christmas Day (we're talking to you, shopper running along Gallowtree Gate right now with lots of bags and a harassed expression). 

But we also know many minds are already turning to the - whisper it - Boxing Day sales.

As usual, the most eager bargain hunters - those with the sharpest elbows and the keenest eyes - will be poised at doors across the city on Friday morning, waiting for the cut-price bonanza to begin.

So here to help you is a handy guide to Boxing Day sales opening times:

Highcross

Boxing Day: the centre as a whole is open from 9am until 7pm.

However, some individual stores will be open earlier. They include:

Next: 6am until 6pm

Debenhams: 7am to 7pm

House of Fraser (outlet store): 8am to 8pm

Topshop: 8am to 7pm

Saturday, December 27: John Lewis Leicester is closed on Boxing Day, but the store joins the sale from 8am to 9pm on Saturday.

www.highcrossleicester.com

Fosse Park

Boxing Day: the centre as a whole is open from 9am to 6pm.

However, some individual stores will be open earlier. They include:

Next: 6am until 6pm

M&S: 8am until 6pm

www.fosseshoppingpark.co.uk

Haymarket

Boxing Day: 9am until 6pm

www.haymarketshoppingcentre.com

Individual retailer opening times may vary.

Fenwick, Leicester

Closed Boxing Day. Opens on Saturday, December 27, from 8am until 7pm.